Unknown RENT words !

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 5:48am

Ok, I am finally coming out and asking for some help. Since English is not my primary language, for years I was puzzled about a couple of words in RENT. I now feel at ease of asking my friends here, without the fear of sounding ignorant. Could someone please tell me what does "Bah humbug" and "Bustello" mean ?

[zzannahk]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 6:27am

Bustelo is coffee


Humbug in the sense of "hoax, jest" is first attested in 1751 in student slang. Its etymology is unknown. Its present meaning as an exclamation is closer to "nonsense, gibberish", while a humbug means "a fraud, an impostor". The exclamation "Bah, humbug!" has become associated with Ebenezer Scrooge and a dismissive attitude towards Christmas.

[YessicaB]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 8:00am

Okay, I'm gonna add to this what's "mecurachrome" (sp?), as in "the nurse took him home for some mecurachrome"....... I've always been wondering.

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 8:06am

Mercurochrome (also known as merbromin) is a topical antiseptic. Its antiseptic qualities were discoverd by Johns Hopkins doctor Hugh Young in 1919. The chemical soon became popular among parents and doctors for everyday antiseptic uses, mostly in tincture form. The FDA banned its distribution in the United States in the 1990s over fears of mercury poisoning. It is readily available in most other countries.

It is also used as a chemical dye for its bright red color.

Chemically, mercurochrome is C20H8Br2HgNa2O6, name dibromohydroxymercurifluorescein.

[Lavieboheme3090]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 8:13am

So that would support the movie taking place from 89-90 wouldn't it.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 10:36am

Forget-regret.net has something that might be helpful to you, GMF. It lists a lot of the references throughout the show -- some of the stuff is very obvious, but some is also helpful for people who are too young to remember certain things, who aren't native to NYC, or who aren't native English speakers.


Rent-o-Pedia

[musicnmath]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 12:04pm

great link, Em!

[ozone20]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 1:01pm

CAFE BUSTELO .. a very popular coffee used by the latino community here in NY. Also the number 1 used coffee in Puerto Rico.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 2:05pm

Mercurochrome wasn't outlawed by the FDA until 1998. Why I know that is beyond me.

[Jon]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 4:44pm

Mercurichrome was that awful orange liquid you put on minor cuts. It stained your skin for a few days.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 5:27pm

oOoO... I remember that stuff. yuck.

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 8:14pm

Thanks a lot, guys. I didn't know mercurochrom was banned in the U.S. It is still very widely used here in Greece and considered the best for cuts. But the new ones fortunately don't stain the skin for long.

[xM3L24x]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 8:25pm

oo i remember that.. why was it banned in the US?

[enjolrasissex]

Posted: 10/27/05 at 10:40pm

oo i remember that.. why was it banned in the US?

I belive that there were some concerns about it causing mercury poisoning.

[.LittleWing. 0224]

Posted: 10/28/05 at 12:14am

oh darn, mercury poisoining is my favorite!

[jynni]

Posted: 10/28/05 at 2:09pm

"Mercurichrome was that awful orange liquid you put on minor cuts. It stained your skin for a few days."

I thought that was iodine?

[WickedOne2]

Posted: 10/28/05 at 2:48pm

I always wondered what that word was. Thanks!

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 10/28/05 at 5:27pm

I am almost sure that iodine and mercurochrom are the same thing !

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/28/05 at 5:29pm

jynni - that is iodine...

[pab]

Posted: 10/28/05 at 5:41pm

"I am almost sure that iodine and mercurochrom are the same thing !"

Nope, not the same,

Mercurochrome was removed from the market because it posed a safety hazard if accidentally swallowed by small children.